The present application claims priority from Japanese application Nos. 2000-334493 filed Nov. 1, 2000 and 2001-330328 filed Oct. 29, 2001, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a recording medium storing a program wherein a game proceeds by an object such as a character moving on a screen overcoming obstacle objects, such as rivers, rocks, and so forth, the method thereof, and a program executing system and program executing device whereby the program is executed.
Entertainment apparatuses capable of executing game programs such as video games or the like have become commonplace. An operating device and a display device are electrically connected to the entertainment apparatus.
With such entertainment apparatuses, characters displayed in a display screen based on operations made by the operator (user or player) of the operating devices are caused to perform various actions such as dashing, jumping, kicking, and so forth. This allows the characters to defeat enemy characters, avoid dangers, and so forth. The game program is executed in such a manner, thus carrying out the story, object, etc., thereof.
With conventional game programs, in the event that the character on the screen encounters a terrain which cannot be navigated, for example, the game is arranged such that the user can operate direction buttons or the like to move the character vertically or horizontally, or operating a button appropriated for an act of escaping the terrain so as to jump or so forth, thereby escaping the terrain which cannot be navigated.
However, in reality, such actions of escaping the terrain (actions enabling obstacles such as terrain which cannot be navigated to be overcome) are often enabled only in the event that player instantaneously grasps the state of the character on the screen and performs appropriate operating input. Accordingly, there is the problem that this may be difficult for beginning players in particular.
The present invention has been made in light of the above-described problems, and accordingly, it is an object thereof to provide a recording medium storing a program wherein, in the event that an object such as a character or the like displayed on a screen encounters an obstacle object on the screen, the obstacle object can be readily overcome, the method thereof, and a program executing system and program executing device whereby the program is executed.
The recording medium according to the present invention stores a program for causing character objects displayed on a screen to perform predetermined actions with operating output as commands from an operating device having a plurality of operating portions, the program including code for an obstacle overcoming step whereby, in the event the character object encounters an obstacle object on the screen, the obstacle object is automatically overcome by operating a particular one of the plurality of operating portions. Accordingly, the obstacle objects can be readily overcome.
In this case, obstacle overcoming actions corresponding to the current state of the character object may be programmed so as to be executed in the obstacle overcoming step, enabling the obstacle objects to be overcome in a more realistic manner.
The obstacle overcoming actions may be saved as attribute data correlated with the obstacle object, and obstacle overcoming actions corresponding to the current state of the character object may be predetermined in the attributes data, so that obstacle overcoming actions can be executed in an appropriate and smooth manner corresponding to the type of obstacle object, for example.
The current state of the character object may be the current speed of movement of the character object.
In the event that the character object can mount and thus pass over the obstacle object, the obstacle overcoming action may be a jumping-over action when the current speed of movement of the character object is relatively fast, and may be a scaling action when the current speed of movement of the character object is relatively slow, so as to execute actions harmonized with the state of the character object.
The program executing system according to the present invention includes a program executing device for reading and executing programs stored in a recording medium; an operating device connected to the program executing device and having a plurality of operating portions for outputting operating requests by an operator to the program executing device; and a display device having a screen for displaying images output from the program executing device; the program executing device including a storing unit storing a program read from the recording medium for causing a character object displayed on the screen of the display device to perform predetermined actions with operating output from the operating device as commands thereof, the program including code for automatically overcoming an obstacle object encountered by the character object on the screen by operating a particular one of the plurality of operating portions of the operating device; and an executing unit for reading and executing the program stored in the storing unit.
According to the present invention, in the event that a character object encounters an obstacle object on the screen, the operator can overcome the obstacle object with simple operations of the operating device.
The program executing device according to the present invention, which is connectable to an operating device having a plurality of operating portions for outputting operating requests by an operator and a display device having a screen for displaying images, includes a storing unit storing a program for causing a character object displayed on the screen of the display device to perform predetermined actions with operating output from the operating device as commands thereof, the program including code for automatically overcoming an obstacle object encountered by the character object on the screen by operating a particular one of the plurality of operating portions of the operating device; and an executing unit for reading and executing the program stored in the storing unit.
According to the present invention, in the event that a character object encounters an obstacle object on the screen, the operator can overcome the obstacle object with simple operations of the operating device.